Business, international

The growth company phenomenon

Article Abstract:

The German economy has seen only limited growth since 1995. This has brought benefits in terms of encouraging large German concerns to move production abroad to less expensive and more flexible countries. They have aligned themselves with the demands of the international capital markets to gain the capital needed to restructure and become more globalized. German banks are now drawing up policies to exploit the new opportunities presented by the creation of the Euro-zone. Entrepreneurs are seeking equity to finance new ventures, and Germans are showing strong interest in investing in these companies.

On the verge of a buyout boomlet?

Article Abstract:

Over 40 equity firms are operating in France but there is often difficulty in discovering suitable companies to purchase. Many owners prefer to sell their firms to strategic buyers who they feel will pay more than investors. It can take some time to work out a management buyout deal of a French family owned firm. Management buyouts are unappealing to most managers. They need to be further informed of the benefits of all types of leveraged buyouts. The French market is variable with the number of large buyout deals falling from 20 during Jun-Dec 1997, to only nine in Jan-Jun 1998.

Trying to become more attractive

Article Abstract:

The increasing interest in the UK smaller quoted company offer has mainly been prompted by the problems of such companies rather than the benefits they may offer. A KPMG survey of 100 smaller company fund managers reveals that the preferred size of the smaller quoted company is at least 100 million pounds sterling, with just over half the shares in the free float. Some 48% of the smaller companies quoted in the FTSE SmallCap Index are capitalized at under 100 million pounds sterling and they will have to increase their size if they are to survive.